The invention relates to a method and a device for applying a tape to a substrate which is provided on a coordinate positioning machine (e.g. a coordinate measuring machine or machine tool). It may be used to apply a metrological scale which is in the form of a tape to such a machine. Typically, the coordinate positioning machine will have at least two parts movable relative to each other along an axis; the scale is affixed to one of the parts, and used in conjunction with a read head (attached to the other of the parts) to measure the relative movement of the two parts. The read head projects light onto the scale, and, from the light passed on by the scale determines the magnitude of relative movement of the two members along the axis.